(N.B. I will occasionally accept outside articles for publication, particularly when I am approached in the right way and the writer is so very easy to work with. Here, Mr. Leo Parker weighs in on two luxury watches at opposite end of the pricing scale.)

For any aficionado of high-end, luxury timepieces, there are certain watchmakers operating within the industry which stand out like a beacon and, it’s fair to say, that Blancpain are definitely one that fall into this category. As they are recognised as the world’s oldest luxury watchmaker (having been founded in 1735), they have a rich and illustrious heritage for crafting flawlessly precise and effortlessly stylish timepieces such as the Limited Edition Blancpain Complete Calendar Villeret watch above.

This exemplary watch is luxury personified and it is an excellent example of the sort of timepiece that people talk about when the say that you should buy a luxury watch as an investment. It will set you back in the ballpark of $45,000 to buy the Blancpain Villeret watch, but it is definitely one that will hold its value over time. A wonderfully crafted and painfully stylish watch, it boasts all manner of features which set it apart from the crowd. Just some of its most impressive traits include an 18ct rose gold case, limited to just 275 pieces, sapphire crystal glass front, Swiss-made automatic movement and luxury brown leather strap. Two highly notable features of this beautiful timepiece are the dates deployed around the rim of the watch face and the particularly eye-catching “8-Jours” Moonphase indicator.

Looking for a vintage timepiece that doesn’t cost the earth? Well, there are plenty at the other end of the spectrum that are considerably more affordable but don’t compromise on luxury or style. A particularly good example of this is the stunning Frederique Constant Slim Line watch below:

There is something immensely appealing about an ultra slim timepiece and few do it better than Frederique Constant – as you can see from the wonderfully crafted timepiece above. Costing considerably less than the Blancpain, at around £700 ($1100), it just goes to show that you can dress your wrist classically without spending a small fortune. This devilishly attractive watch has many impressive features which make its low price tag all the more astounding such as 37mm gold-plated case with scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass, just 5mm thickness, 30m water resistance, brown calf-skin leather strap and Swiss-made quartz movement. A wonderful watch for a fraction of the price of the, equally as wonderful, Blancpain timepiece. Find out more about Frederique Constant watches from The Watch Gallery.